1. Field
This disclosure relates to printing machines and to coatings for the fuser component of such machines which increase the durability of fluoroelastomer release layers on such components.
2. Brief Description of Related Developments
Fuser components using fluoroelastomer coatings often exhibit surface wear as a prime failure mode for both black and white and color applications. Black and white as well as many color xerographic machines use fluoroelastomers as the release surface in conjunction with functional release agents. Field experience with xerographic machines which have a thermally conductive fluoroelastomer release layer show paper edge wear of the fluoroelastomer is the primary failure mode, sometimes causing print quality concerns in as few as several hundred thousand prints. The fluoroelastomer coating is often worn through when the component is removed at several million prints. When used in color applications, gloss differential resulting from minor surface wear of the fluoroelastomer is a major cause of failure.
The art has long recognized the problems associated with fuser surface layer wear. Attempts have been made to increase the wear resistance of the fluoroelastomer coatings.
Eddy et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,813, dated Mar. 17, 1998 and entitled Thin, Thermally Conductive Fluoroelastomer Coated Fuser Member discloses a thermally conductive fuser member comprising base member and a surface layer, where the surface layer comprises a fluoroelastomer and an alumina filler having an average particle size of from about 0.5 to about 15 micrometers.
Two patents to Tan et al attempt to solve the wear problem using a silane.
Tan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,033, dated Dec. 7, 1999 and entitled Fuser Member with Metal Oxide Fillers, Silane Coupling Agents, and Functionalized Release Fluids discloses a fuser member comprising a support and, coated thereon, a fluoroelastomer layer comprising a metal oxide filler and a silane coupling agent.
Tan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,114,041, dated Sep. 5, 2000 and entitled Fuser Member with Surface Treated Al2O3 and Functionalized Release Fluids discloses a fuser member comprising a support and coated thereon a fluoroelastomer layer comprising a metal oxide filler which had been previously interacted with a silane coupling agent.
It is an object of this disclosure to provide a wear layer for fuser components.
It is an object of this disclosure to provide a wear layer for fuser components that provides an extended service life to such components.